Videos

Paul Murphy, Socialist Party (CWI Ireland) MEP for Dublin speaks out
against ACTA on the eve of the plenary vote in the European Parliament.

The following footage is from 3 July 2012. Below the video is the text
of the speech.

"The European Commission, its political allies in this parliament, and
you in particular, Commissioner De Gucht, have done everything possible
to try to avoid a vote taking place on ACTA tomorrow, because you are
scared that it will be defeated given the mass opposition that exists
across Europe. When you spoke at the International Trade Committee two
weeks ago, you effectively said that regardless of how the parliament
votes tomorrow the commission will try to push ahead regardless of what
the result is. That represents a complete contempt from democracy, but
at least you have been consistent in that contempt throughout this whole
process of ACTA.

"In your letter dated 26 January to MEPs, you accuse those protesting
against ACTA of basing their action on – and I quote – “misinformation,
or possibly even worse, on willful misinterpretation of the content of
the agreement.” What an outrageous statement! Who needs democracy and
debate in society when we have the European Commission to tell us what’s
what! If there is any misinterpretation, if there is any misinformation,
that is due to the complete lack of transparency and due to the
deliberate ambiguity contained in this agreement.

"Unlike you, I applaud the anti-ACTA campaigners: the thousands who have
taken to the streets, the tens of thousands who have sent emails, the
millions of people who have signed petitions. If ACTA is defeated
tomorrow, it will be thanks to those campaigners. However, the struggle
against ACTA – and measures like ACTA – will continue, clearly, as shown
by the commission’s attitude. We will continue to fight it today,
tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and to struggle for a society and an
economy based on the free exchange of information, knowledge, and
research for the benefit of all."